The present invention relates to an improved structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker which enables the user to replenish the adhesive tape easily and safely.
FIGS. 8 through 10 shows a structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,375, which is issued to the present inventor. This structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker comprises a first shell body 6, a second shell body 7 nested inside the first shell body 6 and turned about an upright pivot means 61, a spring plate 66 connected between the first shell body 6 and the second shell body 7 to impart an outward pressure to the second shell body 7, and a cover 9 covered on the first shell body 6 over the second shell body 7. The second shell body 7 comprises two elongated slot 71 respectively coupled to respective bosses 62 at the first shell body 6 by screws 711 to limit the turning angle of the second shell body 7 relative to the first shell body 6, and an annular tube 8 formed of arched tube plates 81 at the center to hold an adhesive tape 132. The first shell body 6 comprises a tape outlet notch slot 64 at one side, a rotary cutting knife 65 revolvably supported on the inside adjacent to the tape outlet notch slot 64 and holding a blade 651 for cutting. The second shell body 7 further comprises a driving rod 72, which is moved with the second shell body 7 to rotate the rotary cutting knife 65. The cover 9 has a plurality of downwardly extended coupling tubes 91 at the bottom side. The first shell body 6 comprises a plurality of upstanding lugs 63 respectively fitted into the axial holes 92 of the coupling tubes 91. This structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker still has drawbacks. Because the slots 71 of the second shell body 7 are respectively coupled to the bosses 62 of the first shell body 6 by the respective screws 711, the peripheral edges of the slots 71 tend to be damaged by the screws 711 after long uses. Frequently moving the second shell body 7 relative to the first shell body 6 may cause the screws 711 to vibrate. If the screws 711 are fastened excessively tight, much resisting force is produced during the operation of the automatic tape cutter/sticker, thereby causing the second shell body 7 unable to be smoothly moved relative to the first shell body 6. Still another drawback of this structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker is that the arched tube plates 81 lose their spring power quickly with use, causing the annular tube 8 unable to firmly hold the adhesive tape 132 in place. Still another drawback of this structure of automatic tape cutter/sticker is the difficult blade installation procedure of inserting to the blade 651 into the curved mounting groove 652 on the rotary cutting knife 65. When installing the blade 651 in the curved mounting groove 652, the operator's hand tends to be injured by the blade 651. Furthermore, because the cover 9 and the first shell body 6 are fastened together by plugging the upstanding lugs 63 into the axial holes 92 on the coupling tubes 91, the cover 9 tends to be forced away from the first shell body 6.